Verse 49
The Night Journey • makkah
View Aspects
25:10.
Important Words:
ضربوا لک الامثال (coin similitudes for thee).
Among a multitude of its meanings the word ضرب means, he described or rehearsed; he declared, propounded or explained; he made, caused to be, or constituted; he coined, quoted or made use of. ضرب مثلا means, he rehearsed, propounded or declared a parable, a similitude, an example or a proverb; he mentioned or set forth a parable; or he framed a parable. The Quranic expression واضرب لھم مثلا اصحاب القریة means, And propound thou to them or make thou to them a parable or similitude or an example of the people of the town (Lane & Aqrab). See also 2:274 & 4:35.
امثال (similitudes) is the plural of مثل (mathal) or مثل (mithal). See also 13:7 & 14:46.
Commentary:
The plural noun امثال (similitudes) shows that the word, مسحور (a victim of deception) in the previous verse is to be taken in all its different senses. If the word had been used only in one sense, the singular form مثل (mathal) and not the plural form امثال (amthal) would have been used.
The passage provides an illustration of the fact that when the Quran uses a certain word denoting a number of different senses it means that the word should be understood in all such senses as may be relevant to the context.
25:10.